Depth Charts

Jack Eichel notched one goal and two assists in Tuesday's 4-3 OT win over Pittsburgh in preseason action.

He set up two goals by new linemate Jason Pominville and potted the game winner just 25 seconds into the extra session. The trio of Eichel, Pominville and Evander Kane combined for three goals and six points in the contest. Coach Phil Housley is expected to experiment with his combinations, but Pominville and Kane made strong cases to be Eichel's wingers on opening night.

"Leadership is a big part, hold everyone accountable, myself being accountable more, have that mentality," O'Reilly said. "It's all of us together, and speak up when things don't work. I think as a group we have to have more dialogue between each other and also with the coaching staff, too. As a group we have to go to them and say, 'OK, we're struggling with this. We need to change and do this.' We have to be confident doing it. I think me and a few other guys will take control on that." He intends to be more vocal this season and wants to be more consistent on the ice after he had 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 72 games last year.

Larsson missed the last 46 games of the 2016-17 season after he crashed into the boards on New Year's Eve and suffered a dislocated wrist and elbow. "It was really nice to finally get out there and get in a game situation," Larsson said Wednesday after the Sabres' 4-3 overtime win over Pittsburgh. "It's been a long time and it was a great feeling. I was trying to get back into the pace, find the timing, find the areas where I was supposed to be on the ice and what kind of game it was." He posted 11 points in 36 matches with Buffalo last year. Larsson has been skating between Matt Moulson and Hudson Fasching of late and he's in the mix for a bottom-six center spot going into the upcoming campaign.

Jacob Josefson's shootout prowess may help him earn a bottom-six role on the Sabres.

Josefson has gone 10 for 18 with four game-winners over the last three seasons. Buffalo went six for 27 last year and four for 27 in 2015-16. It should be noted that coach Phil Housley feels Josefson can bring more to the table then just shootout success. "He's a really smart hockey player," Housley said. "He's always in the right spot, offensively or defensively. ... Hopefully we can translate that into more goals and points but I'm really intrigued with what he's brought."

Zemgus Girgensons appears to be getting a chance to step back into the offensive picture for the Sabres.

He is skating at left wing alongside Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo at training camp. "I'm seeing some great things out there," coach Phil Housley said. "I like what I've seen from that line. They've really set the bar. They're doing everything right in the practices." Evander Kane is the top left winger on Buffalo, but after him there isn't much depth with Benoit Pouliot, Matt Moulson, Seth Griffith and C.J. Smith. Girgensons has a legitimate shot to stay with O'Reilly and Okposo even though he has struggled mightily to produce over the last two seasons.

Sabres' prospect Sean Malone is not ready to participate in on-ice workouts yet.

The 21-year-old sixth-round pick of 2013 sustained an undisclosed injury earlier this month and was not able to participate in the Prospects Challenge. The Sabres are holding Malone off the ice at the moment but he is making progress in his recovery and is in a week-to-week situation. Malone, who made his NHL debut last season after posting 18 goals and 42 points in 36 games with Harvard, is a longshot to make the Buffalo squad this season.

Evander Kane still could be moved by Buffalo, but it may be after the 2017-18 season begins.

NHL insider Darren Dreger told Buffalo's WGR 550 on Friday morning that there wasn't much going on pertaining to Kane right now, but that's not surprising considering it's a slow time for movement. "That's not to say that Botterill isn't getting calls," Dreger said. "I don't know that he is or he isn't. The party line has been that it's a team that's in the win-now mode – that may consider themselves a Stanley Cup contender, perhaps an older team – that would and has showed the most interest in Evander Kane. But I think that those general managers with those few clubs would also want to see how he starts the year. Let's see how his off-season went. It sounds like, in the limited research that I've done, that he's worked pretty hard and he's motivated going into the contract year." Kane could increase his trade value with a hot start or perhaps it could convince the Sabres to keep him around and offer him a new deal.

Nylander sustained the injury on Sept. 8. Sabres coach Phil Housley isn't sure when he'll resume skating, but does think it'll be in the near future. The timing of his injury has been unfortunate given that he did have a strong chance of making the team. It's not clear how much missing all this time has changed that, but it has cost him some early opportunities to make a good impression.

With the NHL expansion draft less than a month away, The Buffalo News has linked Matt Moulson as one of the players Vegas might target.

Vegas GM George McPhee knows Moulson very well, as he is the godfather to Moulson's wife, Alicia. Moulson might just be the veteran forward McPhee is looking for to mentor some of the younger players the Golden Knights will draft, something Moulson did well with Jack Eichel in Buffalo. Going to Vegas would likely put Moulson in a top-six role and back on fantasy radars going into next season. Despite bottom line minutes for most of the season, Moulson is considered as being somewhat of a power play specialist with 11 power play goals on the year, good for 15th most in the NHL. Sabres fans will be hoping family ties are enough for Vegas to draft Moulson, seeing as the 33-year-old carries a $5 million cap-hit for the next two seasons.

It seems like the Sabres will give Benoit Pouliot a chance to play on the team's second line.

There are left-wing openings on the Sabres' second, third and fourth lines and Pouliot will fill one of those spots. Which one, will be up to him. "If you look at Ben’s history in situations where he’s had a difficult season, he’s been able to bounce back strong," said Buffalo GM Jason Botterill. "That’s what we’re looking for for him coming to Buffalo. I think there’s opportunities on our left side right now. I think he’s a guy that can play anywhere in the two, three, four hole. It’s going to be a matter of how he comes in and how he performs. "But you look at his size, the ability to get on the forecheck, we just felt it was a guy that could complement our centers and be a guy that could sort of get his career back on track." Needless to say, Pouliot he can grab a gig on the second line, his fantasy value could get a boost.

Nicolas Deslauriers is expected to be scratched against the Islanders on Sunday afternoon.

Through 39 games this season the rugged winger has picked up two helpers along with 38 PIMs and 108 hits. He's also seen a career-low of 6:59 of average ice time per game, a 3:33 drop from his career average.

Kyle Okposo will be back on the ice with his Buffalo teammates on Friday.

Okposo missed the end of the 2016-17 campaign after he suffered a concussion and an adverse reaction to the resulting medication put him in the hospital. "There's times when things weren't going very well that definitely I thought I might not play again," the 29-year-old admitted. "I'm happy to say that those thoughts are out the window now, and I feel confident that I'm 100 percent and good to go. It was a long road and definitely some scary times, but I'm just happy to be here and happy that I don't have any worries at all, any concerns. I'm looking forward to hopefully being better than I ever have been."

Sam Reinhart is going to spend some time at center this season, according to coach Phil Housley.

Reinhart has seen most of his action as a right winger over the last two seasons and a spot alongside Jack Eichel is what his fantasy owners are hoping to see. If he ends up centering the third line then he will lose a great deal of fantasy value.

Jason Pominville scored a pair of goals in Tuesday's 4-3 OT win over the Penguins on Tuesday night.

Pominville, who began his career with the Sabres, was acquired by Buffalo in an off-season trade with the Minnesota Wild. The 34-year-old had 13 goals and 47 points in 78 games with the Wild last season. He'll be a good veteran presence on a young team and could have some decent fantasy value if he plays regularly alongside Eichel, who set up both of his goals. Eichel also scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

"My dream and my goal is to play in the NHL," Bailey said. "I need to have a good, strong summer and start in training camp better than I did last year, show them that I'm for real and that I can come and make the team out of camp." He didn't have a very good camp last time around and spent most of the season in the minors. In 52 games with Rochester, Bailey recorded 23 goals and 36 points. He produced just four points in 32 appearances with the Sabres, while averaging 10:37 of ice time.

Nicholas Baptiste wants to claim an NHL spot out of training camp next year.

"My goal is to make the team," Baptiste said. "When I was up there, I showed that I could play up there and play with those guys. For me, it's bringing tons of speed. Obviously, my scoring ability is something that I've got to continue to do, bringing energy. I'll have a great opportunity next year to hopefully make that roster." He had three goals and one assist in 14 appearances with the Sabres in 2016-17. Baptiste also registered 25 markers and 41 points in 59 contests with Rochester of the AHL.

"I'm not looking too much into it, but if I get the chance to play with them it'd be great," said Griffith. "Hopefully, I can show them what I have." He has contributed one goal and one assist in two preseason matches, while skating as a bottom-six forward. He has just 58 games of NHL experience in his career, but he appears to be working himself into the mix for a roster spot on the Sabres.

Zach Bogosian is hoping to rediscover his offensive game under new Sabres coach Phil Housley.

Bogosian, who was a point-per-game defenseman in his last season in juniors at the age of 17, has never topped 30 points in an NHL campaign. Last year, Bogosian registered a mere 11 points, his worst total in the NHL. Housley, an All-Star rushing rearguard in his playing days, is hoping to get Buffalo's blueliners more involved in the offense this season. Bogosian could be the major benefactor under the Sabres' new system. Keep an eye on this situation going forward.

Nathan Beaulieu has signed a two-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

Beaulieu's new deal has annual average value of $2.4 million. The settlement avoids another potential arbitration hearing in the NHL this summer. Beaulieu achieved personal bests offensively in 2016-17 with four goals and 24 assists for 28 points in 74 games. He was obtained from Montreal in the off-season and play his first year with the Sabres in 2017-18.

Scandella took Thursday's practice off to rest his surgically repaired hip. "I feel good today," Scandella said. "It was good to be out with the boys. Some days aren't going to be as good as others. I'm just coming off surgery, so just getting back to playing at the NHL level, practicing hard. We're just taking our time with it so I don't get reinjured." As things stand right now, it seems like he'll be okay for the start of the regular season.

Gorges has been absent since Jan. 5th. Through 34 games this season he has posted one point along with 25 PIMs, 62 blocks and 77 hits. Get him back in your lineup if you're in a pool that supports his talents.

Viktor Antipin has agreed to a one-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

Antipin had six goals and 24 points in 59 KHL games last season. "Victor is a well-rounded defenseman who has played in all situations at the pro level," Sabres GM Jason Botterill said. "His mobility and puck-moving skills make him a perfect match for what we’re hoping to build with our defense corps next season." The 24-year-old blueliner had previously announced his intentions to play for Buffalo, so this signing is just confirmation of what was already assumed.

Tennyson toiled on the Hurricanes' blueline last season posting a modest five points in 37 games. He will battle for a job on the Sabres' third defense pairing but we're betting he plays most of the season in Rochester of the AHL.

Among Robin Lehner's focuses over the summer was working on his speed.

"I think the strength of my game is reading plays," Lehner said. "What I've been lacking is a little bit of speed and a little bit of edge work, which I've been working on. I feel a lot faster right now." He posted a 2.68 GAA and .920 save percentage in 59 contests last season. We're probably not going to see him do meaningfully better in terms of save percentage in 2017-18, but Buffalo has the potential to be a better team this season and that would boost Lehner in terms of GAA and wins.

The Sabres have signed the underrated Johnson to a one-year, $2.5 million deal to be starter Robin Lehner’s backup next season. Johnson carried the Flames in the early part of the 2016-17 campaign while Brian Elliott was floundering and is a very capable number two.

With the signing of free agent Chad Johnson, Linus Ullmark is slated to start the 2017-18 season in Rochester of the AHL.

The Sabres are still high on Ullmark but GM Jason Botterill said Saturday that the team is happy with the tandem of Robin Lehner and Johnson in Buffalo next season. "We’ve always viewed Ullmark as a very importance piece of our organization moving forward," Botterill said. "He’s a goalie that has taken big strides in his game the last 12 months or so here. He’s a guy that I’m getting more familiar with. "I think he could handle the backup role in the National Hockey League this upcoming year, but it’s also as a young goalie, I’m a big believer that he needs to be playing. I think with the scenario of having Robin and Chad, and Ullmark in the three hole, it’s a real strength of our organization. If there is injuries along the way, we’re going to be well-prepared." Unless you have a deppe pool with a reserve list, it may be time to cut Ullmark loose.